5 September
5th September was chosen as the International Day of Charity in memory of Mother Teresa, who passed away on September 5, 1997.
The day was observed first on 5 September 2013.
Mother Teresa, who dedicated her life to caring for the destitute and dying in the slums of Calcutta, was honoured in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 26, 1910.
After coming to India in 1928, Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, in 1950. The congregation manages homes for people who are dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. Mother Teresa’s work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions which include the Nobel Peace Prize(1979), Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971), the Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972), Balzan Prize (1979) and the Templeton Prize (1973) and Magsaysay Award (1962).